WisDOT congratulates Madison for $15 million federal grant

Bridge Investment Program funding will help rebuild John Nolen Drive

Release date: April 13, 2023

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) today congratulated the city of Madison for receiving more than $15 million in federal funding for a project to rebuild the bridges of John Nolen Drive.

Madison’s project is one of nine across the country awarded grants under the Bridge Investment Program, which is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the U.S. Department of Transportation announced today.

“John Nolen Drive is a busy and beautiful way into the heart of Madison,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “Reconstructing the bridges on this route will increase safety for the 45,000 daily vehicles and the thousands of users of the separated path. Congratulations to the city of Madison and thank you to Governor Evers and all those who worked to support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. WisDOT is working with communities across the state to apply for these competitive grants.”

The reconstruction and replacement project between North Shore Drive and Lakeside Street has an estimated total cost of about $30 million. It will replace six two-lane bridges (three northbound, three southbound), improve shoreline, make the separated path 22 feet wide and improve traffic flow with coordinated signals.

​The John Nolen Drive causeway opened in 1967 and the bridges have reached the end of their service lives. Since 2019, the state has improved more than 5,800 miles of roads and nearly 1,600 bridges throughout Wisconsin. The John Nolen Drive project will soon join that list.

This grant announcement is part of a growing list of projects awarded to Wisconsin communities as part of BIL. Communities, municipalities and eligible institutions are invited to make use of WisDOT’s grant resources, at wisconsindot.gov/discretionarygrants​, which include a Summary Guide to BIL Discretionary Grants, schedule of discretionary grants, link for communities to request a Letter of Support, and more.